FOUR street lights in Longtown need to be replaced urgently before the long nights of winter set in, say the parish council.

However the authority is facing a shortfall for the lamps on the Carlisle Road, A7, near the community centre - which will require a two-day road closure once the council finds the money.

The issue was discussed at an online Arthuret Parish Council meeting on Monday evening.

Karen Johnson, parish clerk, said: “At the beginning of this year, we were ready to go with that but then we received an email to say we now needed to have four columns.

“It’s just over £4,300 as it is just over £3,200 for the replacement of the four columns and the addition of £1,000 for the two-day road closure.

“We have another £1,000 to find and we can go ahead.”

She added: “I think it is really important that we get this done as a priority because it would be very unfair on the residents of Carlisle Road to go through another winter with two lights not working.”

Vice chair Gordon Routledge said the council was looking to see where it could get the extra funds.